Explosions at Boston Marathon

[TheBear]

Having been a volunteer at the finish line of a marathon I'm in complete shock that anyone could pick that as a spot to make whatever political statement they are trying to make.

Completely agree , hard to imagine how it can be connected with a cause in any way. The finish line of a marathon, especially 4:30 (guess) after the start is a place of apolitical personal achievement -

Targetting the general public by using completely uncomprehensible, apolitical targets is the scariest form of terrorism. It spreads terror by making people worry about every place they go and every thing they do. It paralyses society.

That's why they chose it. How they chose something so unimaginable - well, the minds of people who think it's ok to do things like this don't work like yours or mine.

Edit to add: apologies for seeming cold. I get rational at times like this to deal with the horror of what some people are capable of.

[neilinboston]

The city is pretty shook, but we'll come back stronger...the red Sox have us used to dealing with tragedy!

[Broken Wing]

It's been officially confirmed that there is no suspect in custody.

[johng]

Is it anything to do with the 11 children killed in Afghanistan that no one seems to know about?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0407/380169 ... stan-nato/

Could it be that some freako who was already in place is reacting to this?

[fourthirtythree]

Or it could be because it's tax day. And tax money was being spent on the marathon. Freakin' commies.

Or Patriot's Day (Timothy McVeigh bombed on Patriot's Day - distinct from Patriot Day because one day is not enough to be a Patriot! on) in 1995. And communists are taking over 'merka...

Or because the Sandy Hook parents (who are being wheeled out for gun control and it seemingly may actually work this time) were at the finish line (so the event was political).

Dunno. It may be "fun" to speculate, but it's not going to help any.

[fourthirtythree]

Sorry, by which I mean that the predictable witchhunt which may mean the death of uncounted muslims abroad has begun in the Post etc. and adding to it won't help. I'm sure of course that there are lots of lovely survivalist gun collecting militia people out there, I won't ever know though as none of them have passports and don't travel abroad. They spend their money on guns and collecting gold instead.

I should have added that the survivalist gun-totingetcetc. were on it straight away as a false flag operation designed to get TSA checks at baseball games and all that.

Every large event seemingly has "truthers" long before there is even an official narrative of what happened. Uninformed speculation hasn't been so important for what people think and believe about a story since before the advent of mass literacy and cheap newspapers. Which is pretty scary.

[deco]

Is it anything to do with the 11 children killed in Afghanistan that no one seems to know about?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0407/380169 ... stan-nato/

Could it be that some freako who was already in place is reacting to this?

No, That would be valuing all human life the equally. Surely even freakos know that's silly.

[tate]

Is it anything to do with the 11 children killed in Afghanistan that no one seems to know about?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0407/380169 ... stan-nato/

Could it be that some freako who was already in place is reacting to this?

have you been watching homeland johng?

[TerenureJim]

Every large event seemingly has "truthers" long before there is even an official narrative of what happened. Uninformed speculation hasn't been so important for what people think and believe about a story since before the advent of mass literacy and cheap newspapers. Which is pretty scary.

This. There's a chap I went to college with, not really a mate but was in the class and friends of frieends etc, he's on my facebook now living in Australia, used to be a normal guy, now puts up daily posts about Government cabals, Illumminaiti (sic), one world government, the replacement of the dollar, sandy hook shootings a cover up to stop parents who worked in banks testifying, the Dark Knight Rises cinema shooting accused/suspect is a patsy, drug companies hiding a cure for cancer that's just leamon juice and saltwater and people doing kemo are being duped/idiots (that was one of his less funny posts) etc. etc. Anyway he put up a tonne of clearly insane stuff about CIA fake bombs going off in Boston.

This is a chap who was quite normal, Irish educated, fairly well read now in his early 30's and has just gone completely Jim Corr. It's pretty shocking how insane people can be/go and TBH I guess it's a hop skip and a jump for some of these guys to believe/rant on the internet about stuff to actually going out and causing harm to what they believe to be threats.

[Peg Leg]

Every large event seemingly has "truthers" long before there is even an official narrative of what happened. Uninformed speculation hasn't been so important for what people think and believe about a story since before the advent of mass literacy and cheap newspapers. Which is pretty scary.

This. There's a chap I went to college with, not really a mate but was in the class and friends of frieends etc, he's on my facebook now living in Australia, used to be a normal guy, now puts up daily posts about Government cabals, Illumminaiti (sic), one world government, the replacement of the dollar, sandy hook shootings a cover up to stop parents who worked in banks testifying, the Dark Knight Rises cinema shooting accused/suspect is a patsy, drug companies hiding a cure for cancer that's just leamon juice and saltwater and people doing kemo are being duped/idiots (that was one of his less funny posts) etc. etc. Anyway he put up a tonne of clearly insane stuff about CIA fake bombs going off in Boston.

This is a chap who was quite normal, Irish educated, fairly well read now in his early 30's and has just gone completely Jim Corr. It's pretty shocking how insane people can be/go and TBH I guess it's a hop skip and a jump for some of these guys to believe/rant on the internet about stuff to actually going out and causing harm to what they believe to be threats.

Blaming the people (government in this case) you trust least, because of the "control" they have over your own life is easier than trying to get your head around religious fundamentalism/willing terror.
See:
Info Wars
The Bilderberg Group
Bohemian Grove
Jack McLamb

In fairness, it's not all entirely without reason:
Ruby Ridge
No links, but the Jewish lobby in the states and the Anti Defamation Leagues policy of broad strokes for classification (they believe that when David Icke says lizards- he really means jews rtc)

The problem is, it's very hard to argue with someone who invents their own facts to fill in the grey areas.

[StrangeButBlue]

I Shouldn't have started speculation on the perptrators so early - more important to show support for the victims and the city rather than thinking about the nutcases involved.

[fourthirtythree]

No links, but the Jewish lobby in the states and the Anti Defamation Leagues policy of broad strokes for classification (they believe that when David Icke says lizards- he really means jews rtc)

The problem is, it's very hard to argue with someone who invents their own facts to fill in the grey areas.

Are they sure? Recent polling suggests that 12 and a half million Americans believe lizard people control politics.

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/ ... 040213.pdf

[tate]

Never got the Bilderberg thing, epecially after i saw Inda Kenny spoke at it.

Also hadnt realised lizard people was code for jewish. No good conspiracy nutjob has done thorough research until the jews are blamed i guess.

Two mates of mine are lunatics for this kinda stuff - they've never met thankfully. One is mad for the fluoride mind controlling and the other in just about every conspiracy mentioned.

[Peg Leg]

Never got the Bilderberg thing, epecially after i saw Inda Kenny spoke at it.

Also hadnt realised lizard people was code for jewish. No good conspiracy nutjob has done thorough research until the jews are blamed i guess.

Two mates of mine are lunatics for this kinda stuff - they've never met thankfully. One is mad for the fluoride mind controlling and the other in just about every conspiracy mentioned.

I would recommend this book
Them by Jon Ronson

[Peg Leg]

Every large event seemingly has "truthers" long before there is even an official narrative of what happened. Uninformed speculation hasn't been so important for what people think and believe about a story since before the advent of mass literacy and cheap newspapers. Which is pretty scary.

This. There's a chap I went to college with, not really a mate but was in the class and friends of frieends etc, he's on my facebook now living in Australia, used to be a normal guy, now puts up daily posts about Government cabals, Illumminaiti (sic), one world government, the replacement of the dollar, sandy hook shootings a cover up to stop parents who worked in banks testifying, the Dark Knight Rises cinema shooting accused/suspect is a patsy, drug companies hiding a cure for cancer that's just leamon juice and saltwater and people doing kemo are being duped/idiots (that was one of his less funny posts) etc. etc. Anyway he put up a tonne of clearly insane stuff about CIA fake bombs going off in Boston.

This is a chap who was quite normal, Irish educated, fairly well read now in his early 30's and has just gone completely Jim Corr. It's pretty shocking how insane people can be/go and TBH I guess it's a hop skip and a jump for some of these guys to believe/rant on the internet about stuff to actually going out and causing harm to what they believe to be threats.

Blaming the people (government in this case) you trust least, because of the "control" they have over your own life is easier than trying to get your head around religious fundamentalism/willing terror.
See:
Info Wars
The Bilderberg Group
Bohemian Grove
Jack McLamb

In fairness, it's not all entirely without reason:
Ruby Ridge
No links, but the Jewish lobby in the states and the Anti Defamation Leagues policy of broad strokes for classification (they believe that when David Icke says lizards- he really means jews rtc)

The problem is, it's very hard to argue with someone who invents their own facts to fill in the grey areas.

There as been a blacked out GMC Yukon parked outside the house and I think my phone has been tapped since i wrote this post....

[tate]

I've switched to bottled water . . .

thanks for the book suggestion though, might have a gander at it myself.

[suisse]

Is it anything to do with the 11 children killed in Afghanistan that no one seems to know about?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0407/380169 ... stan-nato/

Could it be that some freako who was already in place is reacting to this?

No, That would be valuing all human life the equally. Surely even freakos know that's silly.

Yeah Fisk used to talk about that a lot. A bomb, any bomb, is appalling especially when so many people are killed or their lives destroyed etc. But why does a bomb in Boston killing 3 people get blanket international media coverage when an earthquake in Pakistan with "many feared dead" goes largely unnoticed? Human life in Somalia and Pakistan is essentially worthless. Fisk used to say we associate war, starvation, turmoil and disease with people from the third world, so no-one really cares when a flood in Pakistan kills 1,000 people at the same time an earthquake destroys Christchurch killing around 170.

I feel sorry for the people of Boston. This was a terrible act.

[ronk]

Is it anything to do with the 11 children killed in Afghanistan that no one seems to know about?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0407/380169 ... stan-nato/

Could it be that some freako who was already in place is reacting to this?

No, That would be valuing all human life the equally. Surely even freakos know that's silly.

Yeah Fisk used to talk about that a lot. A bomb, any bomb, is appalling especially when so many people are killed or their lives destroyed etc. But why does a bomb in Boston killing 3 people get blanket international media coverage when an earthquake in Pakistan with "many feared dead" goes largely unnoticed? Human life in Somalia and Pakistan is essentially worthless. Fisk used to say we associate war, starvation, turmoil and disease with people from the third world, so no-one really cares when a flood in Pakistan kills 1,000 people at the same time an earthquake destroys Christchurch killing around 170.

I feel sorry for the people of Boston. This was a terrible act.

Over 10 women die in Somalia every day giving birth and one here (last year) gets huge amounts of attention, including international attention. It's not just bombs, it's everything in the media.

Boston is in an English speaking part of the world with a huge ex-pat community, many Irish have been there and/or have family there. We hear all sorts of news from America and English speaking countries. We hear far less in other (non-European) countries.

Marathons are a hot topic of conversation in general, it's natural that people would be interested.

[tate]

I think ronk is right, I know people living in Boston and Christchurch but I dont know anyone living in Pakistan. I would guess most people in Ireland are in a similar position.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I don't really have an issue with the blanket coverage of this by the media tbh. I've an issue with how they're reporting it in terms of being so invasive towards the victims, e.g. pointing a camera in the face of a guy who just had his legs blown off, but the reality is that most people are really interested in this kind of thing.

It's awful to think that we do seem more interested in a loss of life in the western world more than somewhere like the middle east but that's the reality unfortunately.

The proof is probably the starting of this thread, did anyone start one about the other atrocities that they're saying were largely ignored by the media?

There's also the fact that people in wealthier countries probably have more access to iphones etc and can video the events which makes it perfect for tv. Plus I think we're desensitised to atrocities in places like the Middle East because we hear about them all the time.